Air Canada Strike Grounds Flights Nationwide, Disrupts 130,000 Passengers Daily

                                            A passenger at Mississauga airport, Ontario

Air Canada Cabin Crew Strike Grounds Hundreds of Flights

Air Canada has suspended all flights following a strike by over 10,000 cabin crew members, marking the airline’s first flight attendant walkout since 1985. The strike, which began early Saturday morning, August 16, has disrupted travel plans for approximately 130,000 passengers each day.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), representing the flight attendants, initiated the industrial action after contract negotiations stalled. Key demands include higher wages and compensation for duties performed while aircraft are on the ground—such as boarding and assisting passengers—tasks currently unpaid under existing contracts.

Air Canada had offered a 38% increase in total compensation over four years, including a 25% raise in the first year. CUPE rejected the proposal, calling it insufficient and below industry standards. The airline responded by suspending operations for both Air Canada and its budget arm, Air Canada Rouge, while regional carriers like Air Canada Jazz and PAL Airlines remain unaffected.

Picket lines have formed at major Canadian airports, and passengers are being advised not to travel to the airport unless booked with another airline. By Friday night, over 600 flights had already been cancelled in anticipation of the strike.

The federal government has urged both parties to return to the bargaining table, while Air Canada has requested binding arbitration to resolve the dispute. CUPE, however, opposes government-imposed mediation, citing concerns over losing the right to strike.

With summer travel at its peak, the strike’s impact is expected to ripple across international routes and domestic travel, leaving thousands stranded and scrambling for alternatives.